Playoff hopeful Bucs face daunting late-season stretch

The Bucs believe they have a shot at the playoffs in 2013. And with key players returning from injuries and budding young stars like Doug Martin and Lavonte David emerging, there’s reason to be optimistic.

But getting to the postseason won’t be an easy road – literally.

Among the important points from Thursday night’s schedule release is the breakdown of the final six weeks of the Bucs’ season. That’s when the team will play four of its final six games on the road, at the same time it hopes to be making a push for the playoffs.

It’s going to be a difficult stretch, regardless of the level of competition.

From Nov. 24 to Dec. 29, the Bucs play just two home games. In between, they’ll play two pairs of back-to-back road games: At Detroit (Nov. 24), at Carolina (Dec. 1), at St. Louis (Dec. 22) and at New Orleans (Dec. 29).

And here’s a related note: One of their two home games in between comes against the NFC champion 49ers on Dec. 15.

Clearly, if the Bucs are going to make the playoffs in 2013, it will mean the club will have to prove its worth during a particularly challenging slate of late-season games.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans: Keep up with your team news on Bucs Beat, our blog for all things Bucs. Tampa Bay Times sports writers keep you posted on the latest Bucs news, and you can weigh in with your own thoughts.